Dammit! Run!
by Dwauv
Summary: The story of a rebel trooper, starting in A New Hope, the tale of the front lines of the Rebellion
1. Chapter 1

"Move yourselves! Move yourselves! Helmets, jackets, guns! Grab 'em and move!" Kit's voice thunders through the small dormitory. I swing my legs out of the bunk, narrowly avoid Darren's tumbling body as he falls out of the overhead bunk. Throwing on my standard-issue jacket (little more than black waistcoat with ammo pockets), slipping my sliced-bowl hat (or helmet) on, grabbing my gun and holster. Around me, troopers throw their kit together, going from near-catatonic lumps to (sort of) battle-readiness. Darren taps me on the shoulder, telling me he's ready. It's almost a relief, this order to action stations, a relief of the pressure that's been building since we were intercepted on approach to Tatooine. Why we were going to _Tatooine_ of all places, no one had thought to tell us. It wasn't like we would want to know what we were dying for, if things went wrong. The corridors of the _Tantive IV_ were empty, hospital-white walls and black metal deck shining and shaking with impacts on the hull, as they had for most of the pursuit - near an hour. The less experienced lads (of which there were too many) had been scared by it, each impact and near-miss eating into their nerves with grim hunger.

Rushing down the corridor, we pass a gold etiquette droid, and a blue astromech droid. Kit is ahead of me, Darren to my right. The etiquette droid is prattling on about there being no escape for the princess, forcing me to fight the temptation to blast him where he stands. _There's no escape for her if you keep on like that in front of the lads, we're going to get boarded by an Imperial Star Destroyer. We're going to need all the nerve we can get to hold them off in time for us to detach ourselves._

"Set for static defence, keep it tight!" Kit's voice reminds me that we're at the airlock.

* * *

Raymus Antilles is sweating. For the best part of an hour he had fought to keep the _Tantive IV_ ahead of the ISD, diverting auxiliary power to engines and deflector shields when each demanded more. But it was over now. The shields had finally failed after their valiant struggle against the turbo lasers of the ISD, and they'd just lost the dorsal turret. At the moment, the co-pilot is attempting to stop the Imps' slicers from simply shutting down the _Tantive,_ and thereby boarding her. It's a futile effort, a stream of invective pouring from the man's mouth as the read outs show system shut-down across the dashboard.

"Main reactor shut-down" the flight engineer reads.

Raymus cursed.

"Subsystems overridden; doors locked open, helm locked out and controls disengaged, signals shut down. "

He pauses for a moment.

"We are tractored"

Raymus' head drops into his hands. So close to the objective, yet they'd been snatched out of space like green rookies. It shouldn't have been that easy, normally it wouldn't have been that easy, but the pursuit had come from nowhere. Two hours after the data had been confirmed in storage onboard, the ISD had come barreling out of hyperspace guns blazing, demanding they shut down, and prepare to be boarded. Now they were caught, and with no hope of escape. _Forgive me_ he begs those soldiers that were about to die uselessly _I failed you._

* * *

We've been waiting for a minute, tops, when we hear the cruiser locking against the hull _._ My eyes are drawn up to the ceiling, along with everyone else's. I tighten my grip on the gun, shift my arms on Darren's shoulder. _This is it._ Me and Darren should be ok in this position, him on one knee and me crouching behind him. Should mean we're a smaller target and still have two guns pointing in the right direction. "Steady, boys, steady" calls Kit.

The airlock door goes up in a shower of blinding sparks, forcing me to turn my head away. _Goddess protect me, this it._ With a final _crack_ and flash, the metal disintegrates, leaving a cloud of smoke.

Now!

I fire, so does Darren. Both our shots hit the doorframe. The impression on my eyes left by the flash is spoiling my aim. Then the Stormtroopers are in the corridor, and everyone is shooting. Two of the first four go down, riddled with blaster bolts. But the other two are still alive, and at this range, unobstructed by temporary blindness, they can hardly miss. Men scream. Men die. The blaster bolts fly, hitting walls, the floor, the ceiling. Every place that feels their impact spits sparks and brief flames, leaving the wall blackened and scarred. The sheer noise of battle in the enclosed space is deafening, an assault wave that hurls itself at the redoubt that is your eardrums.

More Stormtroopers step through the ruined airlock, guns up and working. They work well. Within seconds, we're losing. All those closest to the airlock are dead. I see Kit writhing on the deck, blaster wound through his shoulder. Still more men in white armor stride through the door, so that for every one I drop, another appears instantly. Those new lads are losing it. Glancing round at the corridor behind them, they start edging backwards, a movement that I just _know_ is going to become a run. The panic spreads like wildfire, and suddenly everyone's getting out of here. Some shuffle back down the corridor, others slip into side doors. The fight's over now, and we can only hope it doesn't become a massacre. I could curse the ones that moved first, if I blamed them. Which I don't. But if me and Darren stay here, we're going to die. 'He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day' and all that. He's reached the same conclusion. Getting up, we turn and hurl ourselves 'round a corner, falling in with the others fighting a shuffling rearguard. The Stormtroopers follow us. I drop one, Darren another. But of the six that retreated round the corner, there's just me, Darren, plus someone who I've never talked to before, left. _What a way to be introduced._ Darren grabs a charge off a dead Stormtrooper, before hurling it round the corner. There's an explosion, some screaming.

"That should hold 'em a few seconds"

"Yeah" I turn to the stranger "What's your name?"

"Dav"

"Nice, let's go"

At the next corner, Dav stops. "Plan?"

"Make ourselves a nuisance?" suggests Darren

I shake my head "We hold here long enough to stop them, then fall back and try to find and evac the Princess"

They nod.

We wait. It's not long. They come jogging up the corridor, weapons at the ready. In three smooth steps, we set up on the corner, Darren kneeling, me standing, and Dav next to me.

It goes wrong. Badly wrong. They shoot first, cutting down Dav (heart-shot - he's dead), and sending sparks cascading around Me and Darren

"Dammit!" I yell "Run!"

* * *

 **So… How's that? Review and Follow!**


	2. Chapter 2

The ship is quiet, echoes of combat heard from time to time. The sound is good. It tells us that that the fighting isn't over, and the search for the princess hasn't begun. We have to find her, get her off the ship somehow. Probably using an escape pod. We'd most likely land on Tatooine, but that's infinitely better than on board a captured ship.

Darren raises a hand, coming to a halt. I shoot him a questioning look, but he's moving forward, to the portal between the rooms of machinery. He steps up to the wall, looks through the portal, then beckons me to come to him. I step next to him, and follow his pointed hand. Down an aisle, we can see her. Clothed in a loose fitting dress of pure white, our charge bends down to insert something into the blue-and-white astromech, that I saw in the corridor with that idiot etiquette droid. Our charge, who we swore to obey and defend as her bodyguards.

"She's safe" breathes Darren.

"For the moment." I interject "We need to get her off this ship, now"

"Agreed."

Stepping through the portal, I call to her. "Milady?". She turns. Her heart-shaped face, lustrous hair, and elegant cheekbones combine to make her the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I knew plenty of the noble houses of Alderaan had sent suitors to gain her hand, in the hopes of gaining power, but all had failed. The reason why lay in her eyes. While her appearance spoke softly of beauty, breeding, and grace, her eyes shouted the truth. The truth that she was a powerhouse in a pint, a whirlwind in a teacup, possessed of enough fire to light fresh grass at 5 metres. The truth that she is as charismatic a leader to have graced the title. The truth that meant I would die for her, if that meant she would live.

"Daniels!" her voice travels the length of the corridor, laden with surprise, reminding me of where I'm supposed to be; holding the line. I shake the shame off with a thought; I'm of more use here than there. Everyone there is dead.

"Milady, we need to go now!"

"No."

My mind whirls desperately, questioning my sanity, because I think she just said 'no'. Wait… she did. I can't believe what I'm hearing. Milady has always been brave, occasionally even reckless, but the implications of her refusal are too much to even consider.

"Your highness." I begin, speaking slowly to constrain my rising panic "The soldiers that have boarded us are Vader's Fist. It is more than likely that Vader himself is here, judging from the ability of the storm troopers that we faced."

She nods, a picture of calm acceptance.

I try again to get my message across. "They will capture, torture, then kill you!"

A soft smile plays across her face at my distress, the way that a parent does at a sweet child.

"It's ok,Scott"

It isn't. Not by a long shot.

I open my mouth to reply, but a raised hand cuts off my vehement protest. Darren joins us, and I feel my shock and fear mirrored by him.

Princess Organa speaks again "I have something I need you two to do. For the rebellion"

My whirlwind of emotions stills itself as I start listening. For the Rebellion. That means orders.

"This Astromech contains the plans stolen by the Rogue One operators during the recent victory over the Empire. What I want you, Corbec and Darren, to do is to guard this droid while finding a man by the name of Obi-wan Kenobi. You will then escort him to Alderaan. For the sake of everything we have fought for, both must reach Alderaan."

"Obi-wan Kenobi?" Darren interrupts "Who the blazes is he?"

"Vital to the war effort, and that's all we have time for."

"How will we find him?" This time it's me.

Her expression takes on a substantially more mask-like appearance. "You'll have to do that yourselves."

It doesn't matter. We'll do it, because she asks it of us. No further reasons necessary.

"What's going to stop them just blasting us out of the void as soon as they detect life signs?" Darren demands. He's impatient, as am I. We're short on time.

The Princess takes a steadying breath, and I know the plan.

Unacceptable.

"No!" The word bursts from my mouth.

She remains composed even now, arguing with her sworn bodyguard. Perfect control. The reason that makes everyone in the room listen, Moffs, Senators, anyone, regardless of age or experience.

"It's the best option, Scott." The words penetrate my wall of panic, but only just.

The best option. Not a good option, not even a survivable option. Just the best one.

"What?" Darren's confused. "What is she going to do?" The question is directed at me.

"Give herself up." I reply, scarcely believing it myself. "To get the search called off. To give us a chance to escape." Darren nods in acceptance. Acceptance! How can he-

"It's the right call, Scott."

What?

Am I reading this right?

He's saying we should abandon our oaths, for this droid?!

The Princess senses an advantage, and presses the attack. "This is bigger than me, or your oath. The lives of billions could well depend on this, you could save them all. The Rebellion needs you, Scott. You."

I'm beat, but I can't help muttering "You are the rebellion, Leia."

A shake of the head. "No." She says. "There's always someone else."

She's wrong. So, so wrong. But we have to go.

Voices. A few rooms away. Stormtroopers. One last glance into milady's eyes, before she's gone, slipping away through the ranks of machinery.

"R2-D2! Where are you?" It's the stupid golden protocol droid again,appearing from nowhere .

"Clear off, mate." I've no patience for any of this. Abandoning a vow that you swore by all that was holy to you tends to do that.

"But where are you going?" The dumb thing's still trying.

"None of your business. Leave. Now"

The astromech beeps and whistles.

"Secret mission? What secret mission?" The gilded simpleton exclaims.

I don't have time to explain the stupidity of that question. Also, who's side is this astromech on?

We hurry down an aisle. I know where we are. The escape pod deck. Of course.

Darren picks one, points the astromech at the door interface, while I turn to cover us, still clutching my gun. The golden idiot is still with us. Prattling on about restricted access and disciplinary action, two coins that have gone out of currency, he's nuisance. But I don't do anything to stop him. He might be useful, if only as an extra target, if only-

Gunfire. The bark of orders.

Zaaaappp.

They've got the princess. We need to go now.

The impact of blaster shots next to the plated fool gives weight to this thought, leading me to unceremoniously shove Darren through the opening airlock, snapping shots off at the menacing storm troopers. The idiot-droid is still talking, this time about his regret of all this, as Darren hauls him through the door, past the squealing astromech.

Time for one last shot.

I aim it well, drop an ivory-clad trooper, send the rest ducking.

A heavy hand lands on my shoulder, pulls me through the door.

Said door hisses shut, and the pod shudders as it launches, leaving behind calamity, catastrophe, and the start of my time in the forestage of the galactic drama.


	3. Chapter 3

**Yeah… so I watched Rogue One (and Oh My God what a film), and noticed that my version of events doesn't quite fit the canon arc. But then again, I am introducing two completely new characters and adding my own events, so I guess I can let it slide. Also, changing it would require a re-write and I am lazy :P.**

 **Anyways, after a small(ish) recess, here is the third chapter!**

* * *

The astromech squeals as an electric bolt splits the air, missing it by a fraction. I hurl myself in front of it for the third time in what feels like as many seconds. Darren curses, turning on the spot, taking shots at the tiny figures that scurry around the rocky valley. Another bloody ambush. Why in hell did we decide this valley was a good idea? I hear Kit; ' _Careless means killed, lads, never forget it.'_

Well, we've been careless; now, how to wrangle our way out of full payment? We can't stop, for fear of losing the droid to tech scavengers. Neither can we fight all of them - we're no jedi.

So all we can do is run. Again.

Running with our heads ducked, snapping off shots at our tormentors, trying to keep ourselves between the tiny robed people and our precious droid.

I spot him a moment after he takes me in his sights. A diminutive figure, in torn and patched robes, clutching a scrappily put-together weapon, having stepped out from behind a boulder. Bringing my gun around to take aim. He fires. A shard of lightning flashes past my cheek, a brush with death.

I slow a pace.

Squeeze the trigger.

Watch the bolt flit across the intervening space, see it impact, knocking the humanoid off their feet to a resting position, a crumpled bundle of rags.

Darren takes another down, or so I assume from the scream after his weapon discharges. It's not enough, of course. There's dozens of them, and barely a moment goes by when the air isn't humming with electricity, or the ground isn't bursting up at our feet.

"Nice day for it!" Darren snarls. I get the sentiment. Elite stormtroopers, secret missions, and now desert scavengers - we just can't seem to catch a break.

"Let it never be said that bodyguards have cushy jobs." I growl, flinching from a particularly near miss that toasts my toes.

The astromech squeals. As to what it's saying I have no idea, not having the slightest ability with binary languages. But it's probably cursing, or just screaming. Now's not a bad time for that.

The valley never seems to end, and the day's heat and exertion are catching up with us. We're slowing, the shots are landing closer to us. Struggling on through the deepening dusk, I can only pray that the ragged gnomes will give up to return to their camp for the night, otherwise-

Darren goes down. He tumbles, limbs spasming, yelling in pain for a brief moment before unconsciousness takes him.

I stop. Crouch to pick him up, strain at the dead weight while feeling the aim of the scavengers boring into my back. Slipping his blaster packs into my dust-covered jacket, I hoist Darren Over my shoulder. "Heavy bastard aren't you, mate?".

Lightning streaks past me, blasts apart sand on the valley floor.

I start running again, but slower, weighed down by my best friend. Too slow, as it turns out, and I can't carry Darren and cover the droid at the same time.

Sparks fly. The astromech grinds to a halt, sapphire tendrils lashing its metal skin, shrieking in an ever-climbing tone. It goes silent, moans once, then, slowly, keels over and hits the dust with a hollow clang. Well, it seems that's that. I put Darren down. Turn on the spot, watch the cloaked figures steal out from the lengthening shadow. They move with confidence; they know it's over. As do I, for that matter.

Because it is.

How can we win? If this is the way it will always happen, with a pyrrhic victory followed by disaster and defeat, how are we meant to achieve anything? Is it worth the pain, is it worth the humiliation, the exhaustion, just to keep on fighting the next day? How many more will die, how many more will suffer? Can we justify this?Milady would have the answer, Kit would have the answer; but they're both dead now. Or good as.

They're reluctant to come much closer, mindful of my sweeping weapon. I fire a few shots in warning, little else.

"Well? Come on then, take me!"

Silence. The air is still, just holding on to the day's warmth.

"Scah-boyah!"

White flash, white-hot pain, the world whirling about me, until I slip into silent blackness.


End file.
